The Mountain Bluebird is an insectivore that particularly favours eating caterpillars. Yet, in the many pictures I have taken of this bird foraging, it is only rarely that I have captured an image of its successful insect capture.
The birds’ hunting success rate seems as remarkably low as has my own success rate in capturing images of the birds’ insect captures.
So, it was a delight to see a female Mountain Bluebird which had just captured a caterpillar.
The caterpillar was quickly aligned with the bluebird’s bill and swallowed.
This bird’s guileless mien somehow puts me in mind of the virgin Mary in Michelangelo’s Pieta. Go figure.
Trevor, as you suggest, the appearance of placid serenity can have various origins.
Such beautiful birds. Why do I never see male or female in Rosemont?
Jean, during the breeding season, bluebirds look for insects over open grasslands containing a few perches to hunt from. The manicured properties in town are probably just not sufficiently bountiful for them.
Thank you for the explanation. Perhaps there is a similar reason why I do not seem to be able to attract hummingbirds to my yard